Teoh Beng Hock case open to review if there are new leads, says Azalina
PETALING JAYA : The government may reopen investigations into Teoh Beng Hock's death if there are new developments, despite the case having been classified by police as requiring 'no further action' (NFA).
Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said that criminal cases were not bound by time limits and could be reviewed.
'Criminal cases are not like civil cases and are not bound by statute of limitations. So, if there are new developments in the future, further investigations and revision of the case can be carried out,' she said in a written parliamentary reply.
Azalina was replying to a question by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan), who asked why the Attorney-General's Chambers decided to classify the case as NFA, despite a past court ruling that Teoh's death was caused by unlawful acts.
Azalina said the AGC's decision made in May was based on its review of police findings, which did not find any strong evidence to charge anyone.
The Court of Appeal had in 2014 set aside the coroner's 'open verdict' and found that Teoh's death at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office in Shah Alam was due to 'unlawful acts by person or persons unknown'.
Azalina said police had formed a special team to reinvestigate the case after that ruling. But the AGC later found the evidence still insufficient and ordered the probe to be closed.
'There were not enough statements made (evidence) to convict anyone,' she said.
Teoh, a political aide, was found dead in July 2009 after being held overnight at MACC Selangor's office.
His death sparked widespread condemnation leading to multiple inquiries and legal actions.
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